They'd been in Newcastle for a few days by the time Christmas Eve came around. It was a busy time, largely due to 'Dec's giant family' as Stephen had stared to refer to it. They'd already seen a couple of Dec's siblings, exchanging gifts a couple of days early. All of which resulted in Stephen receiving and choosing to wear one particular knitted hat as they went for a walk that evening.
Dec wasn't going to admit that he actually quite liked it, if only because getting to wear it and seeing Dec's exasperation had stopped Stephen from slipping into that dangerously contemplative mood over not being with his own family during the festive season. And it was fun to tease the other man by pretending it was the worst thing he had ever seen, with the added benefit of annoying Martin who had been the one to buy it in the first place.
It was fast becoming tradition, for them to slip away for a walk the day before Christmas. Dec knew it was part of Stephen's usual routine and liked to add some of that familiarity to a time filled with old traditions he was used to since being a child.
As Stephen surveyed the frosty view of the park in front of them, Dec glanced over at his phone, preoccupied for a moment by a message from Ant.
Hope you haven't forgotten about this. Get your worst Christmas jumper out for everyone to see, Deccy
There was a photo beneath the message of Ant and Lisa, already prepared to be posted on Instagram. Honestly, he had forgotten that he needed something for their Christmas post, mostly because he'd been trying to forget it.
Looking again at the photo, they looked so happy together; it was a poster for a normal couple's Christmas. Dec wasn't sure why he fixated on that nor why he found himself growing uncomfortable at the thought of being included in the same post.
He barely noticed Stephen lean over his shoulder to see what he'd been distracted by.
"Do you need one as well?" he asked tentatively, working out that it was for social media without Dec needing to tell him.
Dec nodded, then hesitated. "Do you want to be in it?"
He heard his own doubt and winced a little although Stephen merely smiled lopsidedly and asked in return, "Do you want me to be in it?"
"If – if you're comfortable with that," Dec replied, letting the younger man wrap an arm around his shoulders and embrace him from the side.
"People know," Stephen said, "It might look stranger if I wasn't in it."
Dec found himself nodding, instantly berating himself for not thinking of that earlier. The last thing they needed was a new batch of tabloid stories speculating over the stability of their relationship. And maybe this could be a way to silence the last remaining critics who still muttered about it being for publicity. But he didn't want to do it if that was Stephen's only reason.
"I want to be in it," Stephen said patiently, almost psychically.
"Are you sure?" Dec couldn't help but ask, smiling sheepishly when Stephen merely raised his eyebrows.
He toyed with his phone anyway, thoughtful for a moment. And then he tried to stop thinking, to regain that comfortable glow of normality that came whenever they did 'normal' things without batting an eyelid. He looked back over at Stephen who seemed to be waiting almost expectantly and relaxed.
"You look like such an idiot," he said fondly, looking at Stephen's hat and letting a smile slip through his consternation. Stephen grinned back at him warmly as if he'd not just been insulted, evidently just pleased that Dec had put his doubt to one side.
Dec scooted up next to him on the bench in the deserted park, feeling the heat radiate from Stephen's arm stretched over the back of the bench behind him. He found himself tilting into his side like he always did, naturally comfortable. And before he knew it, Stephen had taken the phone from his gloved hands and held it up to take a photo.
Dec looked at the two of them in the screen of the camera and found himself smiling wider at the sight of it, a boost of confidence that they were ready to remind people of their relationship. They'd been trying to keep a low profile but that seemed like letting people win who didn't deserve it.
And if it meant he got to make a joke about Stephen's new hat on social media, that alone probably made the attention worth it.
YOU ARE READING
As we fall apart
Fanfiction"Maybe it would be best if..." "What's that supposed to mean?" "I don't think I can do this anymore." It felt like it came out of nowhere. They'd had a lot to contend with for a long time but still, after it all, they'd had each other. Until they di...
